Rogue elephant kills 2 Americans
NAIROBI, Kenya - A lone elephant charged out of the brush as an American family was hiking near Mount Kenya and trampled to death a mother and the 1-year-old daughter she held in her arms, officials said yesterday.
Four adults and the baby were accompanied an unarmed guide just outside Mount Kenya National Park on Monday morning, Kenya Wildlife Service official Michael Kipkeu said.
The family were hiking on a nature trail near a lodge where they were vacationing, said the owner, Melia van Laar. "The elephant emerged from the bush at full speed without any warning," van Laar said. "Everybody ran away, but the lady, burdened by the weight of the baby, perhaps, or in panic, was not able to run fast enough."
Officials identified the woman as Sharon Brown, 39, and said her daughter's name was Margaux. Brown, originally from New York, and her husband are listed as faculty members at the International School of Kenya. - AP